The Great Escape – Living In Freedom! Series

THE GREAT ESCAPE – Living in Freedom!

1 Peter 2:16

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine you and I had a chance to talk. How would you answer this question, “Who are you? How do you perceive yourself?” Would you just give a superficial answer? Would you tell me what you think I want to hear? Or would you be honest with me and with yourself to describe how you really see yourself as an individual?

One middle-aged woman who was haunted by memories of ritual and sexual abuse she suffered in her childhood gave this honest answer to how she saw herself. “I think I’m evil; I’m just no good for anybody. People tell me I’m evil, and all I do is bring trouble.” (The Bondage Breaker, Neil Anderson – page 43)

This woman was held in bondage by the lies of the enemy. She had swallowed the devil’s lie hook, line and sinker; she believed she was worthless and good for nothing. She believed the devil’s lie that she was always going to be that way.

What about you? Have you fallen for Satan’s lie? Are you filled with self-doubt or condemnation? Do you believe the lie, that while your sins may be forgiven, that you may be a Christian, YOU ARE HELPLESS TO CHANGE; that no matter how hard you try, you will always be a certain way. You too are evil; you’re nothing but trouble.

It is time for you to make The Great Escape! It’s time for you to break free from the prison walls that hold you captive, to let the shackles that hold you captive fall from your hands and feet. You can be free!

YOU ARE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION. Jesus has done everything necessary for you to live in freedom. Satan, your captor has been totally defeated!

• Colossians 2:15 (MsgB)

He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

It is up to you to live in freedom. I can’t believe for you; I can’t repent for you. I can’t forgive others for you. I can’t put on the armor of God for you. No one else can do these things for you; you must take personal responsibility for your freedom in Christ and open your prison doors. No one else can open the door for you; only you can push the door open to the freedom that is yours. All I or anyone else can do is to proclaim the freedom Christ has given to us; all we can do is tell you the doors are unlocked, so open the door.

• 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)

Live as free men . . .

• Live as free people . . . (GW)

The only way to live in freedom is to embrace the truth. You must expose the lies of the enemy, uncover every deception. The only way to neutralize the lie and disarm deception is by believing and acting upon the truth.

ILLUSTRATION: If I show you a time bomb ticking toward a deadly explosion in your life that only you can defuse, you can choose to live in denial. Unfortunately denial won’t prevent the explosion. You could acknowledge that there is a bomb, but believe you are helpless to disarm it and just watch the clock tick down to zero. Or you can believe that cutting the red wire that leads to the timer will safely disarm the bomb, but may be paralyzed by fear unable to cut the wire. Or you can choose to cut the wire and prevent the bomb from going off.

If you are here today and believe that Jesus took your place and died for your sins, and if you believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead then you need to know some things about yourself. This is what God says about you:

o You are a child of God (John 1:12)

o You are Jesus’ friend (John 15:15)

o You have been justified (Romans 5:1)

o You are united with God in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17)

o You have been purchased by God and belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:20)

o You are a member of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27)

o You are a saint (Ephesians 1:1)

o You have direct access to God (Ephesians 2:18)

o You are forgiven of all your sins (Colossians 1:14)

o You are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

o You are free from all condemnation (Romans 8:1-2)

o You can know everything in your life will work out for good (Romans 8:28)

o You cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39)

o You are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)

o You are confident God will complete His good work in you (Philippians 1:6)